Reunion
by gretlcascade
Summary: Katara meets Aang again for the first time in two years. How will she react? Cannon pairings.
1. Chapter 1

**A/N: This is the prelude to my first ATLA fanfic. The chapters won't be this short normally; they'll at least have 1,000 words. Anyways, hope you enjoy!**

The smell of the salty sea air filled her nose as she took a deep breath. Dark gray skies indicated it was almost morning. They would be at port in just a couple of hours. Wind whipped at Katara's face pulling strands of her hair out from her usually neat braid forced her to remember.

It had been almost two years since the fall of Firelord Ozai. Two years since the gaang had really been together. Two years since...

Pushing those thoughts out of her mind she scanned over what had happened to the rest of the crew.

Sokka and Suki had accompanied her down to the Southern Water Tribe where they were engaged and married. They then moved a little farther north to Kyoshi Island where they stayed during the winter so Suki could remain the leader of her warriors, during the summer they returned back south while Ty Lee would take over for her. This plan worked out well until 3 months ago, when Suki found out she was expecting. Obviously, there will have to be some rearranging, but Ty Lee was now their temporary leader.

Katara, however, after many months of traveling, took solace in remaining in one place. She, along with Master Pakku and the assistance he had brought with him, had been busy rebuilding their nation. Soon, a new generation of warriors and waterbenders would be lumbering around the frozen tundra, but for now, the majority of the population was more than 30 years of age with the exception of Katara and a few younger 8 year olds.

During these two years, Katara had become of the age to be married; and while that was a tumultuous event for both father and daughter, there were still the occasional advances from young northern water tribe boys, which were more often than not met by a frozen wall. Literally.

Toph had remained in the fire nation so as to teach Aang the rest of his earthbending. After that, Katara had read in a letter that she was needed in Ba Sing Se (much to her chagrin) to help eradicate any more support for the Dai Li. She lived in a smaller home in the Upper Ring near the Jasmine Dragon.

Zuko, shortly after the destruction of the old administration of Phoenix King Ozai, had married Mai. He also continued to mentor Aang until he was fully a master. Mai and Zuko had a new heir to the throne, a son named Raaj, who was about to celebrate his 11 month birthday. Zuko had hoped that he would have be able to find a grandmother for his poor son but his search, so far, came to no such avail.

Although knowing many of the stories of her friends, she had known the least about perhaps the most important person. Aang, the Avatar. All she knew was that he had trained in the fire nation for a couple of months but after that he had almost disappeared, only showing his face for important Avatar meetings. Living so far away, Katara only heard drabbles of information, probably tainted ,passing from person to person, pertaining to his where-abouts. He had gone from being the most influential, loving man she knew to being a complete stranger.

She was awoken from her daze by a wave crashing against the tiny water tribe boat. Although it was one of the largest boats their home had to offer, it was no match for the relentless waves brought forth from the fire nation sea. Glancing up she was beginning to make out what looked like as the gates of Azulon. The gates they made their way through on the Day of Black Sun. Even though she knew that they were welcome, honored guests, the cold, golden dragon statues sent a chill down her spine as she made her way below deck to alert the others of their approach.

**A/N: Yay! So there it is. Again, this is only the exposition. There will be actual plot in the next chapter. I just had to put this in to set the tone. Reviews are greatly appreciated!**


	2. Chapter 2

**A/N: Here is the first official chapter of Reunion. Thank you to the one person who reviewed this story.(you know who you are) :) This is my first ATLA fanfiction, so if you guys have any suggestions/comments/hateful messages you want to shoot at me go right ahead. I'm down with critique. Also, sorry for my horrible grammar/spelling issues with the prelude. I went back and hopefully fixed all of them.**

**Disclaimer: Any characters you recognize aren't mine. If I owned Avatar, then why would I be posting my work on a free website rather than using it to make money?**

Katara helped her brother unload their things onto the familiar decks of the fire nation's port. She set down the wooden barrel that contained their changes of clothes and glanced up. A small, frail man stood in front of her. Clothed in obvious fire nation attire, his belt showed off the symbol of the Firelord. Katara straightened up. This movement put her at least a head above the messenger. She raised her eyebrow as if to inquire his purpose.

He complied in a rather high voice, "Hello. My name is Jin. My lord has sent me to assure that the honored heroes of Sozin's War are properly attended to. Now if you will follow me I will show you to the palace."

And with that being said, the man promptly strutted off towards the center of the capitol.

"Yeah, we've been here before," Sokka informed him, "Hey! Wait for us! Where do we put our stuff?" His voice rising as Jin continued to walk away.

"Servants will bring them to your rooms later, now please follow me," Jin said.

Katara, Sokka, and Suki shared a look. They said good bye to the ship and its crew members, for they would be returning in a few weeks when they were ready to depart for home, before catching up with him.

The hike up to the palace was lengthy and hot. Wearing southern water tribe clothing, they soon discovered, could be life threatening; and by the time they reached Zuko's house they were all drenched with sweat.

Jin, who seemed unfazed by the blistering heat, turned around said, "Wait here." and left.

Katara panted heavily, "Here, this should help" She lifted her arms and waterbended everyone dry. A chorus of thank yous replied.

The group heard the groaning of the hinges on the large doors to the palace as they swung open. Firelord Zuko strode out, clad in red robes. Silence ensued while the old friends took in each others presence...

"Zuko!" Sokka yelled, breaking the awkward entrance. He ran forward and embraced the Firelord in the ultimate bear hug.

Stunned, Zuko stayed frozen until he smiled and said, "Good to see you too Sokka."

Katara also smiled. Zuko hadn't changed one bit. His hair was fastened in the official topknot, and his clothes were definitely the finest. But he still looked some what out of place. Where a fearsome, dictating ruler should have stood, was a compassionate young man who just rarely let anyone know his true feelings. Her demeanor darkened when she realized that he looked exactly like he had at the end of the war. Her musings were halted by Zuko's voice.

"How are you Katara?" Zuko asked. Everyone turned to look at her; their faces mirroring each others with the same emotion. Concern. She could hear the double meaning in his words.

Her eyes narrowed just in the slightest, "I'm fine. Now can we see our rooms? We've had a long journey."

"Yes, of course," he replied.

Sokka and Suki followed directly behind Zuko, arms loosely hung around each others waists. Katara sighed, crossed her arms and followed the procession.

A tour was not really necessary since they had been there already, but being the good host that he was, Zuko gave them one anyways.

He showed them the war chamber lit by only a wall of fire. Seats surrounded a giant map of the four nations, previously used, Katara imagined, for plotting the fire nation's world domination. Now the map only depicted the fire nation's domestic troops and their embassies in the Earth kingdom and Northern Water Tribe. Zuko said that this was where they were going to be briefed later on in the week about the security for the celebration.

Immediately upon hearing this Sokka excitedly said, "Ya know if you need any help planning..."

"We don't," Zuko interrupted.

"Oh,"

The group was shown around the wings of the palace and where the main dining hall was.

"This is where the main feast will be," he said while gesturing to a large room. In the center was an ornate wooden table with plush seat cushions lining all the way down and all the way back up. Two were placed at the front reserved for the Firelord and Firlelady, "but if you want something prepared for you ask one of the servants and they will be glad to help you in any way."

"Speaking of servants," Sokka said, his voice dripping with sarcasm, "you've got some real nice hospitable workers here. Like that one guy, Jin, he was REAL nice..."

"Oh, yeah, Jin," Zuko sheepishly scratched the back of his head, "Sorry about that. He's distantly related to Mai's mother's friend so it would have been dishonorable to not let him work here."

"Yes, of course. You wouldn't want to offend one little snobby man would you? I mean you're only the Firelord after all..." Suki rolled her eyes and smacked Sokka in the head with her hidden fan.

"You can continue with the tour now," she said smiling.

It was cut short when Zuko was called into an important meeting.

"Follow this hallway until it brings you outside. There should be two buildings, your rooms are in the building on the left. Oh, and Aang's in the building to the right in case you want to drop by," Zuko quickly said while being rushed by a very formal uptight woman.

"Aang's here?" Katara said. Her stomach did a flip when she said his name.

"Yes. Again, I'm sorry I can't continue but if you need any help, just call for a servant. I have a few assigned to your building," Zuko raised his voice as he disappeared around the corner.

They followed his directions and came upon a beautiful garden. Trees surrounding the buildings, a strange red colored ivy climbing up the walls of the traditional style housing, and there was even a small pond filled with gurgling baby turtle ducks.

"Appa!" Suki squealed drawing everyone's attention to the bungalow type barn next what Zuko said was Aang's building. Katara's smile reached her ears as she, Sokka, and Suki sprinted towards the furry animal. Appa stopped grazing on the hay next to him and growled, moving towards them until they collided. His tongue running over the span of their three bodies.

"It's so good to see you!" Katara said blissfully as she took his massive head in her arms and started caressing his soft fur.

"And have you gotten fatter?" Sokka said bluntly.

This resulted from a low roar from Appa as he moved to tackle Sokka for that snide remark.

"Just kidding! You look better than ever!" Sokka said, hands in the air anxiously backing away. Appa grumbled in reply.

After they said their hellos, Suki was starting to feel a little nauseous so they entered their building. Katara bid farewell to Sokka and Suki and headed into her own suite. Her room was average size, but was extensively decorated. Her bed was huge and despite the weather had a thick comforter made of silk. Murals covered the walls depicting the four nation's on each wall.

Just as Jin had said, her baggage was on the other side of the room. She sighed and plopped down on one of the many pillows, content to stay there for eternity. A slight knock on her door destroyed her peaceful moment. She strode across the room and opened the door with a little too much force.

A woman was standing outside. She said, "Hello. My name is Jae. I am your personal servant sent by the Firelord. If you need anything, I will be happy to oblige."

Katara's shoulder's dropped. She had gotten up for this? "Okay thank you Jae, but I'm fine for now so you can just leave..." Katara had started to close the door.

Jae raised her hand, "Wait! The Avatar told me to inform you that he wishes to have an audience with you immediately."

Katara's breathing only elevated slightly, "Umm... Okay, sure! I'll go and see him...immediately. Thank you." She shut the door on Jae's confused face and slid to the ground, her back against the door.

**A/N: Okay, that's the end! (Of the chapter, not of the story) Hope that was worth waiting for because I blew off studying for a test to write this. When people's lives suck they go on Facebook, I go on fanfiction! Question: I was finishing writing the outline of this story and there are two paths that this story could take. Path 1: the ultamite fluff journey or Path 2: the ultimate plot journey? So that's my question. Do you want fluff or plot? The plot journey will have some fluff, but Path 1 is ALL FLUFF. I am leaning towards Path 2, but I don't have to decide until a few more chapters, so review/PMessage me as to what you want! One worded reviews are always accepted. **

**Reviews appreciated**

**-gretlcascade**


	3. Chapter 3

**A/N: Hey! Thanks for all the reviews that last chapter got! I think I got more in that half of what my other 6 chapter story has. :)) Special thanks to.... Your reviews really helped me. **

**Disclaimer: I claim all rights to the plot and show of Avatar. **shoots evil twin** Hey! I don't own Avatar! Are you trying to get me in trouble here? What are you my...? Oh...**

Her eyes tore open as she sat up in her foreign bedroom. Shallow panting filled the room while her heart raced back to its normal pace.

_She had just been on a balcony in Ba Sing Se on a late summer afternoon._

No, she was here in the fire nation capitol.

_She was clothed in the finest silk robes the Earth Kingdom had to offer; a warm breeze tickled her skin, running through her loose, chocolate locks._

No, she was just in her white wrappings, covered with a cold sweat, breathing in the stagnant air of her bedchamber.

_She felt the burn of loving hands up her back, leaving a tingling trail up her spine._

No, she felt a single, hot tear make it's way down her face, leaving her skin cooled from the surrounding air.

_She turned to the face whose eyes held a rare color she had never seen before. Lean arms encircled her as she leaned in to feel the brush of his lips against hers._

No, she was facing nothing but darkness in front of her.

Katara's body buzzed, alive with excitement at the distant memory. Only to feel the crushing depression as she came to the realization that she was really all _alone. _More tears sprang to her already stinging eyes, blinding her limited vision. She stepped out of her bed carefully, making sure not to break any expensive artifacts Zuko might have happen to have put in the room. Soft, threaded rugs met her searching fingers and she opened the blinds; a mid morning light filled the room.

Fixing her hair to her usual braid, she fitted herself into climate appropriate clothing and stepped out the door. Wandering down the hallway she made her way to the adjacent room, wiping her eyes clear of any trace of runaway tears. Her raised hand hesitated just slightly before she lightly rapped her knuckles against the wood of the door.

"Sokka? Suki?" Her clear voice filled the empty room as she eased the door open. Their accommodations were similar to hers; the only difference was the bed size.

"They have already left for the city. You only missed them by a few hours though," Katara jumped and turned around to the woman whom she had spoken to earlier, Jae. She wore a pleasant, yet creepy, smile on her face, "I am here to escort you to breakfast."

"Oh, well that was nice of you Jae, but I don't need an escort-"

"I am also here to inform you that Avatar Aang has again requested your audience," she continued forcefully, "perhaps I was not clear when I said he wished to see you immediately."

Her body blushed and she felt her stomach tremor. "Yes, I understood," Katara assured Jae, "I just didn't have time last night for I was very tired. I'll probably go to see him today." And with that she strode off; leaving a bewildered Jae in her wake. But instead of heading to the dining hall, she made her way through the large hallways to the training room on the other side of the palace that Zuko had pointed out yesterday.

Her eyes gazed over what she thought was a newly refurbished training facility.

Size wise, the room was very large and took up half of its wing in the palace. There was an indoor area and an outdoor area. Target boards lined a whole wall, darts, swords, and knives were on a wall opposing them. She assumed that this was specifically for the Firelady herself. A large rectangular mat used for non-bending combat comprised the rest of the indoor part. Only a couple of men and women had woken up to get a morning work out. They were dispersed throughout the rooms.

She walked along the edge of the mat until she reached the path leading outside.

Rays of sun greeted her tan skin as she paced out into the courtyard. Here, the trainers were quite more verbose. They no longer concerned themselves with the repercussions of disrupting the peace of the other nobles inside. Looking around, she spotted others warriors who she recognized from the years before the end of the war.

Heading over to what seemed to be the waterbending training area, which was significantly smaller than the fire or earthbending rings, she drew water from the circular ceramic pots. Energy coursed through her veins as she felt her muscles control the water. Its movement was dependent on her will.

Arms flailing over her head as she changed its shape into intricate patterns, a crowd was gathering; it wasn't everyday that you saw a master waterbender in the firenation. Bringing her arms downward, she pulled the water around and through her legs, spiraling up her torso. Muscles tensed in her arm as she directed the water to its intended target. Icicles sliced through a nearby tree, its thin frame shaking before falling to the ground.

She allowed a small smile to curl its way onto her lips, "I've still got it"

Light clapping filled the air and the surrounding crowd went back to their original positions. Only a tall dark figure remained. Katara turned towards the shadow and realized who it was.

"Mai! Good Morning! I didn't think you would be here, ya know being the Firelady and all," Katara's voice trailed off while she remained under Mai's narrowing stare.

Mai gave her signature sigh before saying, "I maybe the Firelord's husband but that doesn't mean I can't train. Besides, most of these people are nobles," she said gesturing to the other warriors. "Anyways the only reason I came out here was to talk to you about Aang," she paused a moment to take in Katara's reaction.

Katara stiffened, "And?"

"I just was worried. In a way I know what you're going through, when Zuko left..." Mai took a breath, "it wasn't easy. Usually, I don't care but I wanted to make sure you're okay."

Katara softened at her confession and she put a hand on Mai's shoulder, "Thanks, I just think I need some time."

"Whatever," she said in her usual demeanor. Her shoulders shrugged and she stalked off.

**A/N: Okay, sorry this is kind of a shorter chapter. But if I had followed my original plan then this chapter was going to be something crazy like 3,000 words long. Anyways, hope you guys liked it, and have you seen the Last Airbender trailers? AHH!! I'm so excited! When I first saw the guy who plays Zuko, I thought he was Sokka. Haha. Does anyone know if he is the guy who played in Slumdog Millionare? Anyways... Reviews are appreciated!**

**-gretlcascade :)**


	4. Chapter 4

**A/N: Hey, sorry this took so long, but it's here now. :) Hope everyone had a great spring break, I know I did! Thank you guys for all the reviews, and sorry for that awkward phrasing in the last chapter's A/N. (special thanks to...) I was going to add the names in later but I never did and then I posted it so, yeah. To Shahrezad1, posiexox, Animus of Masada, and aang'sbestbuddy(thanks for your faith in me) your reviews helped me so much, I cannot thank you enough!**

**Disclaimer: If I have a disclaimer, then I probably don't have to explain to you that I don't own ATLA.**

Mai's comforting words were fresh in her mind as Katara passed portrait after portrait of previous members of the royal family on her way to the dining hall. The smell of expertly made dishes caused her mouth to water; she was starving. As she rounded the corner she heard the familiar tenor of her brother's loud voice.

"...and I've gotta say, the shopping here in the Fire Nation is much better than the South Pole- oh, hey Katara!" he said as she walked into the room.

Sokka and Suki turned to greet her. Her eyes scanned over yet another lavishly decorated room and paused on a new face tilted down towards her tray.

"Toph!," she exclaimed, "It's so good to see you!"

Toph's smile reached her unseeing eyes as she stood up and went to embrace Katara, "You too! Well, ya know, not really see so much as feel, but anyways how've you been?"

She chuckled, rolled her eyes, and pulled out of the hug before answering, "Well, I've been good. I have some new waterbending students but it hasn't been that exciting. How about you? Are you keeping the Earth King on his toes?"

"You could say that," Toph said with a mischievous grin on her face, "Can you believe that there are some dunderheaded agents that still follow Long Feng's ways? Even though he's gone? I swear some guys have boulders in their heads or something, but I had a good time knocking some sense into them."

"Geez, when will those guys learn that their leader is a psycho?" Sokka added flipping his hand around in the air.

Katara and Toph took their seats as the group started to catch up some more. Toph still had the same hairstyle, Katara doubted she would ever change it, and had only grown a couple inches; she had however developed subtle curves.

"You actually just missed Aang, Katara. He was here looking for-" Sokka continued on until Suki nonchalantly nudged him and gave him a meaningful look, but Katara noticed anyways.

"Yeah, yeah Twinkletoes was here, now can we eat already? I'm starving!" Toph said, catching on to the mood in the room.

"Yes please. I'm hungry too and the food here looks delicious," Suki said, her eyes savoring the look of the foreign, spicy food.

Katara felt like the odd one out as her friends devoured their meals. Sokka and Toph's usual behavior were something to be expected but with Suki's new found appetite she was the only one in the room without her face stuffed with food.

The conversation flowed as easily as it had 2 years ago. Reminiscing about their old adventures, the telling of new ones, and making fun of Jin were just some of the many things that dominated their talk. They eventually got around to the topic of future events that they were to expect in the upcoming week. Sokka was particularly exciting about tonight's meeting.

"It's the one about security, the one Zuko mentioned earlier," Sokka explained with his mouth open, "I can't wait for some actual excitement around here."

"It's probably just going to be a bunch of old, sweaty guys arguing about how many royal guards they deserve to have protecting them at all times," Toph said leaning back.

"That's not true! This not only has to do with the safety of the city and respectability of the fire nation, but this also involves the safety of _the Avatar_," Sokka disagreed. The two of them continued to argue over what the meeting was going to be like while Katara thought to herself.

A meeting? With Aang? In the same room... Her heart fluttered at the thought and her palms became clammy. _Grr.. _she thought to herself.Why did he affect her this way? Just thinking about him made her entire body quiver, ready to break at the slightest touch. It was over, after the war he didn't come with her to the South Pole, he didn't try to stay in touch, he didn't even bother to explain why. She should be over this by now, moving on with her life not stuck on something in the past. She couldn't understand it... But she did, she knew. Deep down inside of her, she knew the answer to her self induced question but was scared to voice her theory because she was afraid she might be right...

"Katara are you coming?" Suki's question aroused her from her daze. Everyone else had gotten up and was headed towards one of the many exits; servants were beginning to clear the table.

"Huh?" she asked, "Oh, yeah of course." Katara got up and followed them out of the room.

The group spent the rest of the day enjoying Sokka's favorite pastime: shopping. Bright, colorful swaths of fabric filled their vision as they walked down the streets of the capitol. Deciding against having the royal guard accompany them, the group easily maneuvered through the masses of people selling, buying, begging, and performing. Fanfare filled the streets and provided Toph with sensory overload.

The shops were plentiful and diversified, not one like another; and by the end of the day, everyone had found their own souvenirs: for Suki a handmade wooden baby rattle, for Katara a unique blue shawl, and for Sokka a collection of 15 different kinds of meat. Even Toph found an interesting piece of green colored metal. The market places of Fire Nation were exquisite and cultural but one could only take so much of it, so, in the shadow of the late afternoon sun, they made their way back to prepare for the meeting, passing suspicious characters hidden in the depths of the alleyway.

Katara bid her temporary farewells to the others and made her way to her room. Twisting the cool metal doorknob with her hand, she opened the door, sunlight still filtered through the open blinds; there was a pile of clothes and a note left on her bed. She climbed onto the mattress, slipping off her sandals, and rolled out the parchment.

_Dear Lady Katara,_

_I apologize that I am not able to be here personally but I was detained. Anyways, these are some clothes that I thought you might need for the gathering pertaining to security tonight. Also, I wish to inform you that Avatar Aang told me to tell you not to worry about seeing him before the meeting, he will simply meet with you afterward._

_-Jae_

Mixed emotions swarmed like a rushing river pushing, trying to burst through. She didn't know how to feel: annoyance? For Jae's persistence in handling her, relief? For no longer having to worry about her appearance in front of Fire Nation dignitaries, or nervousness? For Aang's tenacity in pursuing her attention...

With a huff she pushed her feelings aside, she just couldn't bear to deal with it now. Flopping down flat on her back, her arms spread out wide, her eyes drooped until she willingly slipped into unconsciousness.

Pounding on her door woke Katara from her light sleep, it was now dusk and only a dim light filled the empty space.

"Katara! Katara! Are you ready yet? The thing is like in ten minutes," Sokka's voice awoke her and any drowsiness left from her nap was quickly eradicated; flustered she sat up from her sprawled position and ripped her clothes off, quickly replacing them with the ones left for her.

"Uhh, yeah. Coming!" she called. A few minutes later, a slightly ruffled Katara stumbled down the hallway to catch up with Suki and her brother.

Despite Katara's tardiness, they arrived early. Groups of individual leaders were scattered around the large room, a low murmur was consistent throughout. Other people drifted in from the other exits. They soon joined Toph and started conversing.

"Guess neither of you were right. It seems pretty calm and there are no old, sweaty guys," Suki started.

"Yeah, I've gotta admit, it's kind of a disappointment," Toph replied her arms crossed as she tapped her foot on the ground.

"Well it is interesting seeing you in a dress Toph. You haven't looked that presentable since Ba Sing Se," her brother joked.

"You better watch it or I'll make sure this meeting has a lot more excitement..."Toph narrowed her eyes.

The group meandered over to the table where name tags marked their places relatively close to the Fire Lord. Katara mechanically followed as she continued to observe the rest of the room.

Not being able to help herself, she automatically compared it to Southern Water Tribe gatherings. Other than the fact that there weren't ice walls or fur seating mats, they looked similar; the only main difference being the size accounting for more citizens in the Fire Nation.

Suddenly a pair of once closed doors opened and two guards announced the arrival of Fire Lord Zuko. Everyone in the room stood up and watched as he sat down in his elevated chair at the head of the table, low walls of fire were kept dimly lit as a sign of respect for tradition. Everyone took their seats and although there were some empty places one in particular stood out the most.

The space across from us, at the right hand of Zuko, stayed empty; the metallic name plate claimed it to be reserved for_ Avatar Aang._

Her stomach twisted and turned. He wasn't here. Desparity and relief washed through her, she may not even have to see him during the celebration!

Clearing his throat, Zuko stood up and started his speech in his usual deep, raspy voice, "Hello, thank you for coming. This is a meeting pertaining to the safety for the celebration of the two year anniversary of the end of Sozin's War. Not only will we be responsible for the security of you all and foreign leaders such as the Earth King who is expected to be arriving in the next day or two, but we also need to assure the safety of every Fire Nation citizen. Now, General Rhea will be presenting, General." Zuko ended and sat down.

"Thank you Fire Lord," General Rhea nodded his head. All heads turned to the middle of the table where a man with a long black beard stood up, striding towards the back of the room, he pulled a map out of a bag near a slab of concrete and hung it up. It was a layout of the palace and the surrounding structures.

The general took a stance, hands behind his back before proceeding, "As some of you may or may not know, Fire Nation has been receiving multiple rebel attacks from groups since the end of the war. Their numbers are slowly increasing pulling forces mainly from former Fire Nation soldiers but are even receiving recruits from radical Earth Kingdom and Water Tribesmen," he paused and Katara swore she saw the general glance towards Sokka and her before continuing, "for the most part these attacks seem to be informal and unorganized though are becoming more of a problem..."

He was interrupted when a guard strode in up to Zuko and whispered in his ear, Zuko then nodded and rose.

"Excuse me General, but Avatar Aang has just arrived, he was detained by his advisers and told me to continue without him but he was able to make the meeting after all," he raised his hand motioning towards the same door he came through.

There were creaks in the floorboards and ruffling of robes as they stood, heads tilted so as to see a first glimpse of the young Avatar. Soon his large shadow was visible in the doorway growing smaller as he came closer.

Frightening anxiety overwhelmed Katara. Her heart pounded in her chest so hard that she was sure everyone could hear it's beating. Shortened breaths escaped her suddenly dry mouth and her body began to shake like a withered leaf. Soon _he_ would be right in front of her; soon she would see him for the first time in two years...

_Thump, thump, thump._ She could hear the pounding of his padded foot steps as she rounded the corner, her chest beginning to rip in two. It was too much, she couldn't take it. Slowly she backed away from the table gaining speed as she raced towards an alternative exit. Pushing open the heavy door, she could just hear the guard announcing Aang's arrival.

The sound of deep breaths filled the hallway as she caught her breath and her ears stopped ringing. She bent over, placing her hands on her knees as she caught her breath. Pressure on her right shoulder alerted her to someone else's presence and she whipped around, hands up in a basic stance.

"Chill out! It's only me," Sokka said in a soft empathetic tone.

"Oh," Katara said as she relaxed her muscles.

Pointed silence filled the room neither of them dared to speak, both of them wanting the other to break it. Sokka shuffled side-to-side.

"Um... I don't feel well" Katara said lamely trying to prevent tears from spilling over.

Sokka sported a sad smile and nodded his head, "Okay, I understand." He reached out and patted her arm before turning around to head back to the meeting.

Katara let out a shaky breath and lead herself through the barely lit hallway. No one passed her on her way back, and for that she was grateful. She couldn't even imagine what a mess she looked like. When she did reach her room, she had no energy left to perform any customary cleansing procedures. Shutting the wooden door, she stumbled in the dark until her knees hit the bed, forcing her to fall. Tears streaming down her face was the last thing she remembered.

She was once again woken, but this time by a gentle knocking.

Her eyes remained shut as she demanded her voice thick, "What?"

Why couldn't Sokka or Jae or whoever it was just leave her alone to suffer in peace?

Groaning, the door was timidly opened. "Katara?" A shy voice asked.

Her eyes ripped open. She was suddenly _very_ awake. Cautiously, being careful not to move too quickly, she turned around and was met with the familiar gray-brown eyes she had used to love and know so well staring at her from across the room.

"Aang?"

**A/N: Yay! Aang is finally back :) How will Katara react? You will see next chapter. Again sorry for updating so late, and as far as vocab/grammar is concerned I'm pretty sure this is the worst chapter so far, and seeing as it is so early in the morning and I just spent the last 2 ½ hours working on this I'm too tired to double check.... I do believe though that this is the longest chapter I have ever written so, WOOHOO! (2,423 words) Reviews appreciated.**

**-gretlcascade**


	5. Chapter 5

**A/N: OMG? Is this true? Is Reunion finally being updated? Am I hallucinating? No dear reader you are not. I'm sorry about not updating in... well a long time. I've had a lot of personal stuff lately and I'm sure that it's not only me who was freaking out about finals, but that's all done with so I can now focus on finishing my story! Thanks for those who reviewed. You are awesome! I had a lot of fun writing last chapter, but when writing this chapter, I was a bit apprehensive about the change I made. I hope you like it. Oh, and also since it has been a long time, I encourage you all to go back to the last chapter and reread it so you remember, but if you don't want to, here is a reminder:**

Groaning, the door was timidly opened. "Katara?" A shy voice asked.

Her eyes ripped open. She was suddenly _very_ awake. Cautiously, being careful not to move too quickly, she turned around and was met with the familiar gray-brown eyes she had used to love and know so well staring at her from across the room.

"Aang?"

**Disclaimer: Roses are red, violets are blue, here's the disclaimer. Haha! You can't sue!**

**Disclaimer to the disclaimer: Yes, that's right. I loved a disclaimer SO much, I copied. Go ahead and shoot me now...**

Flying was definitely the best thing in the world. He really felt sorry for any one poor soul that didn't have the opportunity to experience this much joy. Technically he was a bender of all the elements, the only balance in the world, but he knew that he was always an Airbender at heart.

A sudden gust of wind and he was now awkwardly tilted sideways. Using the air currents, he straightened himself parallel alongside his flying bison. Gliding at about 700 feet in the atmosphere, everything was visible to Aang.

Ahead of him, the sun's rays glinted off the bright blue ocean and waves crashed against the rocky shore. Leading up to the capitol was a twisted road, winding around the rolling hills and rivers distancing the city from the port. Looking downward, he could see every detail of the busy marketplace. From up here people looked barely larger than a peanut. Children playing, parents working, and visitors arriving were just some of the many things happening below him. Glancing over to the royal palace, he saw a similar scene.

Tiny specs, whom he assumed to be servants, were frantically dashing around busy as bees preparing for the festival just days away. To say that he was ecstatic would be an understatement. It would be the first time in too long that everyone would be together. Not worrying about silly meetings that his advisers had carefully planned and set aside for him, just having fun and seeing all of his true friends. Every single one of them...

Plums of purple smoke alerted him to the south side of the palace signaling the need for his assistance. Groaning in defeat, he landed on Appa's worn saddle and grabbed the reins, "Yip, yip."

The bison complied with a lazy moan, beginning his descent. Soon, the once faraway market was close enough to see individual booths and fat-fingered, little children excitedly pointing upward at the gigantic beast. A soft gentle breeze ruffled through the sea of red. Aang, trying to enjoy his last few minutes of peace and solitude, closed his eyes and turned his face towards the bright burning sun.

However, right before he did, an abnormal color caught his eye. In the midst of all that crimson, there had been a speckle of brilliant blue. Frantically, his eyes flew open, bald head craning, he leaned over the edge of the saddle searching for the familiar hue, a jolt of electricity rushing through his veins. He was looking to see her luscious hair, to hear her infectious voice, to swim in the depth of her eyes... But there was nothing to be seen, nothing to be heard; for the distinguishable shade had long been lost amongst the crowd.

Try as he might, contacting Katara had been harder than he originally thought. Zuko said that she had arrived just the day before, since then Aang worked vigorously to free up his busy schedule to go and see her. He had even gone to such lengths to tell her servant that he wanted to visit, but she hadn't come to see him yet. Though he had seen Toph, Sokka, and Suki before noon in the dining hall. After having to deal with the boredom and static dispositions of his high ranking acquaintances, talking to them had been refreshing; even if, when he did leave, he had not succeeded in meeting her.

A soft groan rippled throughout Appa's body as he finished his descent, his six legs touching down on the ground. Aang reluctantly returned from his daze to the real world to see one of his advisers rushing up to greet him.

"Avatar," Bei took a slight bow before proceeding, "your afternoon meetings are about to begin. I'm here to brief you before they do. Now the first one is just your regulatory meeting with other council members and advisers, the second one however is going to be dealing with planning out the security for the celebration..."

She continued with a smile and turned around, starting towards the direction of the entrance of the palace, her mild pink robes twirling in the wind.

Aang gave a goodbye pat to Appa, who was being led away by the caretaker, and jogged to keep up with Bei. Once she finished, they marched down the hallways in silence for a few moments, the boy's arms swinging as he walked.

"Did you have a nice flight? It was a clear day today, and by the way you were slow to react to our signal, you must have been pleasantly distracted up there," Bei politely added. Aang always liked her, she was the only one who really talked to him as a person, not the all powerful bridge between the mortal and spirit world avatar.

Aang sighed and averted his gaze, "Yeah, I was pretty distracted..."

Bei gave him a meaningful look but didn't question him and they continued their trek in silence passing guard after guard, making turn after turn. To Aang, the palace seemed endless, every corridor connecting to another, a never ending maze where, if one wasn't too careful, it could lead you on forever, searching for a way out. He wistfully remembered the openness and freedom provided by the air temples.

The first gathering had been a regulatory one. Just a normal discussion of the state of the nations as a whole, mainly focusing on the topic of rebounding population of the water tribes. On which, Aang stiffened ever so slightly.

Formalities usually took up the entirety of the meetings, causing him to doze off more than once just to be nudged by a helpful Bei standing behind him.

"...have always been disproportional sizes when comparing one of the three other nations to the Earth Kingdom; their size is seemingly astronomical. So, throughout history we always used the Fire Nation as a comparison for demographics, and between those states, the Water Tribes, even when combined, only came to about half... Anyways, through our research we were able to gather an optimistic estimate and we believe that the rebounding populace of the four nations shouldn't be a worry of the immediate future, I mean other than the Air Nomads..." A skinnier gentleman trailed off and finished under the intimidating glare of the Avatar, readjusting his glasses, he took his seat at the intimate table.

Aang warned people against discussing the future of the Air Nomads and so far his advisers had been admonished enough to know not to address the topic, but lately, they were starting to stress the subject.

The airbender opened his mouth to once again remind them, but was interrupted when a servant scurried into the room.

He bowed, "Avatar, the undercover lieutenant Wu returned from his mission and is requesting an audience with you to debrief."

Bei straightened, her eyes darted to the Avatar's face which was suddenly very attentive, "Thank you, please tell the lieutenant we are on the way."

The servant nodded and turned away while Aang stood up and thanked the stunned advisers; falling into step with Bei he said, "Wu wasn't supposed to be back until later this month. Do you think something went wrong?"

"I don't know, but if it did then we will soon know" Bei said rounding the corners of the palace, two guards marched in front of them leading the way, "either way we need to inform Fire Lord Zuko that you won't be attending the security meeting until later on."

His heart sank at this news, he had been planning to go and see Katara in between meetings, "Will you have a message sent, to Miss Katara's servant...Jae I think?"

The adviser gave him a curious look, "Yes of course, Aang, what is it exactly that you want it to say?"

Bei headed off to deliver the information, promising she would catch up later. He continued on following the soldiers; corridor after corridor, hall after hall, all the while wondering what had caused the lieutenant to return early when he was assigned to such an important mission. Finally, he was led into a small, dimly lit room at the very corner of the palace. There were only four chairs surrounding the rectangular table, two of which were currently occupied by an adviser of Zuko's, Chin, and a rugged man whom he recognized as Lieutenant Wu.

Exchanging bows, the men offered Aang a seat while maintaining the already present tension.

"I'm sorry that this is so unexpected, but I can only stay for a little while until I have to go back in." Wu started, "I was passing by our rebel leaders tent a few days ago and heard some shocking news."

Aang leaned his arms forward on the table and shared a worried glance with the other man, "Go on."

"From what I could tell, he was speaking with a scout who was sent out to the capitol city for a mission. They were talking about getting the maps for their next attack, and from the landmarks they were mentioning it is definitely near if not in the capitol," Wu finished with a serious expression.

Aang's heart twisted with fear. The rebel groups hadn't been too much of a problem so far, he'd only gone out to deal with them once or twice; but if they were becoming large enough to perform this level of damage, something would have to be done soon.

"Do you have any idea when this aggression should take place?" the other man said while pulling out the blueprints for the palace.

"No," Wu said, "there weren't any dates mentioned. Though it does seem kind of convenient that he anniversary of the end of Sozin's war is days away. He's even told us that we are to being moving to a new location soon."

"I don't think strategically speaking that placing an attack during that kind of celebration with that kind of tight security would be sufficient. Your leader must know that, so what would be to his benefit if he were to fail in front of a large portion of the Fire Nation?" the adviser's hand ran over the papers as if trying to predict the opponent's plan of action.

"Are you kidding me? He's got years of experience and an abundance of resources. You think he's going to sit by and let an opportunity like this pass by? If he were to succeed, he opens up doors for all of the rebel cells and then we're talking mass riots, skirmishes, even the escape of Princess Azula!" Wu said incredulously.

Chin's face contorted into a slight grimace, "Only a lieutenant with such limited experience as yourself would say that; you cannot possibly think that a small rebel group would choose to waltz into the palace expecting it could even have a chance of victory."

Wu clenched his fists in anger, but restrained himself from saying anything.

"The real problem is what are our options now?" Aang said attempting to break up the dispute.

"We postpone the celebration," Wu responded.

"Or we could go ahead with the festivities for now, heighten the security of course. If the lieutenant hears any new information he can contact us and we could always cancel later if necessary," Adviser Chin responded.

Both men turned towards the Avatar, awaiting his decision. For a couple of slow moving minutes Aang closed his eyes and thought about the paths laid in front of him, knowing full well that disaster could lay ahead if he choose the wrong one.

Aang stood up, "I think it's in the best interest of the people of the Fire Nation to continue with the ceremony. If we alter the plans now, only days before, it could instill fear in the general population. Zuko will also be questioned for his reasons; and this celebration is not just a huge party, it is a great symbol of peace where the whole world rejoices for the end of violence. If you hear any concrete news that directly links this transition of your leader's army to the celebration contact us immediately. Seeing as the security of this event is now vital I'm going to the meeting with the high generals making sure that they are informed of its importance."

He turned and headed for the door when a thought occurred to him, "No one, other than you two, Fire Lord Zuko, my adviser Bei, and myself is to know of this threat. No doubt your leader has his spies watching the city and if he does choose to attack we want him to think he has the element of surprise. Thank you Lieutenant Wu for informing me, I wish you luck on the rest of your mission." With a bow, Aang left the room.

Bei met him outside, and after filling her in about the previous discussion, they set off for the security meeting. A guard had just informed them that they should be arriving in a couple of minutes when Bei remembered, "Oh, and Aang I sent the message to the servant Jae and she confirmed that Miss Katara had received word.

A shot of nervous entered his stomach, he had completely forgot about Katara. His heart soared. He would finally see her! Wringing out his clammy hands, Aang marched down the hallway, the following guards attempting to match his pace. Jumping erratically, his heart refused to still, only adding to the already building tension in his body. He couldn't comprehend why he was reacting in such a way; it was just Katara, the beautiful, heartbroken girl he had left with no explanation for his actions.

Zuko's voice echoed throughout the corridor as the procession approached two rustic doors. Closing his eyes, Aang briefly took a meditative breath. _He could do __this,_ he thought, _he would talk to her after the meeting and explain everything, she would understand..._

Mustering what was left of his battered calm, Aang's feet made their way into the war room, almost skipping with excitement. A small group of people, respectfully standing upright, awaited his arrival.

Nameless faces were before him, only a few officers were recognizable to him including the Firelord of course; but these people of importance held him no interest. Aang was searching for the one face whom he had chased in his dreams and evaded him in reality.

Desperately, his eyes searched the room in hopes of seeing her. She was supposed to be here, she was involved in the ceremony two days from now; he briefly noticed the familiar faces of a couple of his friends, and in the midst of all the silence he thought he heard the faint thud of a door being shut.

Breaking from his stupor, the Avatar realized everyone was still standing, unsure of how to proceed. Turning a slight shade of pink, Aang gave a small smile, nodded, and took his seat near the head of the table.

Zuko turned his attention back to the slab of cement and told the general to continue. The avatar's eyes inconspicuously roamed the room searching for Katara, but came up short until he noticed an empty spot between Suki and Toph reserved especially for her.

Sokka suddenly sat down, glancing around before noticing the Avatar, a disgruntled frown upon his face. Aang pulled his eyebrows up and gave him a questioning look. Sokka's eyes darkened and he shook his head before turning his head towards the presentation.

His heart sank for a second time that day. Would he ever be able to explain himself? Would he ever have his second chance?

The pressing issues of the meeting prevented him from dwelling on this matter; and with great reluctance, he turned his attention to the back of the room.

For the rest of the meeting, Aang listened intently making sure that there were no obvious weak points in security. Taking in mind the rebel leader's usual strategies, he advised the generals on layout and distribution of guards, and by the end of the meeting, three additional groups were assigned by the Avatar for extra perimeter protection. This action was rewarded with skeptic looks from generals and acquaintances alike, but when the meeting was finally over, Aang was sure that the palace would be safe.

While the people around him shook hands and excitedly chatted about the upcoming event, Aang stood up and meandered over to his friends. Trying to keep his composure, he gave a friendly tap on Toph's shoulder, which with, she answered in a resounding punch. The Avatar winced but smiled all the while as the nearby nobles gaped at the exchange.

Toph propped herself up on her toes to whisper in Aang's ear, "She went through that door, and by the way she was going, she was headed towards her room."

He paused, shocked at how insightful she was, causing her to frown and punch him with more force, "Don't just stand there Twinkletoes, get a move on."

Aang blushed slightly at the nickname but gave her a fleeting smile and muttered a thanks before swiftly making his way towards the door she had pointed out.

Pushing the door open, he headed down the corridor; his muted footsteps barely disturbed the unnatural calm that was present in a deserted hallway that would lead to the outside guest houses.

Upon entering the neighboring building, Aang recognized it to be laid out the same as his own; just one carpeted hallway with three or four rooms branching off. Cluttered and smelling of must, the first doorway led into a cleaning supply closet. Aang moved to the next door which was held slightly ajar. The animal skinned packs and messy room indicated that this was most likely the room Sokka and Suki shared. Another wooden door was all that was left in the carpeted hallway.

He strode over with the same determination, but paused at the doorway. Hesitantly, he lightly tapped on the door to assure he wasn't intruding and was answered by a muffled whisper. Cool bronze metal met his fingertips as he turned the knob with ease. The room was filled with darkness and he briefly thought of lighting a candle but decided against it when he saw the outline of a curvy figure underneath the sheets of a bed.

His heart rate accelerated when he realized who it must have been and he took a silent gasp when she moved her head under the fluffy pillow.

"Katara?" he asked hesitantly not wanting to startle her. His attempt went in vain though, for as soon as he spoke out her frame froze. Slowly, with deliberate movements, she turned to face him.

"Aang?" her honey voice said causing his body to melt.

* * *

Shock lit her face as she took in his signature pale form; he was fashioned in a simpler version of the robes that he wore the day after Sozin's comet. These clothes offered a better view of his new lean muscles causing a slight heat to rise up into Katara's cheeks, but when her gaze finally met his stormy gray eyes her heart ached.

She had missed him, that much was true. She had missed the childish antics, yet the way he could be so mature with things of consequence. She had missed the way he could turn anyone into an optimist, even her brother, but was also vulnerable to a point that he relied on her too. Katara had denied this ever since the day they had been separated, but seeing him in front of her now, she knew she could no longer lie to herself.

"Hey," Aang finally said with a deeper voice that still held youthful substance.

"Hi," she whispered in response, her voice failing her.

A chilling silence filled the room and Katara noticed how Aang's silhouette hovered in the doorway, unsure of how to proceed.

She felt an odd urge; a sudden need to comfort him, but she pushed those feelings aside and bravely said, "Here, sit." She motioned towards the end of her bed. Glancing around the room, he finally closed the door before accepting her invitation and sat down near the newly adjusted Katara.

Another uncomfortable silence fell upon the pair. Katara felt as though she couldn't hold his gaze for more than a moment; her blue eyes were too skittish.

"So, how've you been?" she said lamely, determined to break the tension.

"Good, um..." Aang chuckled, running his palms down his thighs, "not that much action since the end of the war, how about you? Do you still live in the Southern Water Tribe?"

Katara smile held some falseness to it upon learning how little he knew about her, "Yes, I teach waterbending to the few students we have down there. It has been so much more fun; the village is really improving. I just wish I could visit the others more often. I heard about the rebel groups that are attacking the earth kingdom, how is that?"

"Oh," he stumbled as ice ran through his blood, "yeah, we caught them all. There's nothing to worry about." He hoped she wouldn't catch the fake sounding tone at the end of his statement. He knew he could trust Katara, but he also made a promise. Besides, it would just worry her to know the troubles they were having with the rebellion.

The pairs' mouths remained shut, neither having anything to contribute. Aang's eyes wandered, never gazing at one thing for too long; but his eyes would always seem to come back to hers, as though they were anchored by her watery blue depths.

Katara kept her gaze off to the side, as if too afraid to even look at the Avatar. Instead, she twirled her fingers around in intricate patterns on the bedsheets. Eventually, her hand brushed over Aang's, and she instantly retracted biting her lip and pulling a piece of chocolate hair behind her ear.

"Sometimes,", Aang sighed and looked towards the wall before saying, "it makes me think; and all this responsibility automatically placed on my shoulders makes me sad that I even left."

Taking a shaky breath, he closed his eyes and clenched his jaw.

Katara broke from her mild daze and turned to meet Aang's frustrated features, "Why did you leave?" She whispered asking the obvious question.

He looked up to meet her soft eyes. Knowing that he couldn't lie to her, he just hoped she would understand. Pressing his lids together, Aang took a filling breath and said, "Katara, listen, about that...It's just that I'd thought it'd be easier without you to-"

Katara blinked, "What?"

The young boy's eyes widened in horror as he realized she had misunderstood, and quickly replied, "No, Katara, that's not what I-"

"Oh, no Aang. It's just fine. I didn't know I was such a burden to have around," her eyes squinted as she lashed out in rage.

Aang recovered trying to defend himself arms desperately half raised, "Of course not, it's just that-"

"Just that you would rather go through the trouble to evade me _and_ Sokka just so you wouldn't have to deal with having me around?" Katara's voice broke and treacherous tears began to fill her ocean blue eyes.

"Katara, please just listen," Aang placed one of his outstretched arms to soothingly rest on her shoulder; Katara's frame shuddered and recoiled from his heated touch, her back pressing against the multiple plush pillows and headboards.

Warm water streaming down her face, she bit back her already quivering lip and whispered in a wavering voice, "Just go."

Aang's brow was creased and his mouth lingered open, hesitating, deciding whether to push the subject or retreat. Choosing the latter, he lowered his gaze, stood up and silently made his way out of the room but not before glancing back to take in the distraught Katara, eyes tightly pressed together to prevent anymore tears from falling. He shut the door and made his way out of the building. Once he was outside, he let out an exasperated moan, startling the lemur who had come to greet him, letting the stinging hurt of rejection seep into his heart.

Inside, Katara's ragged breaths became inconsistent and began to hitch in her throat, the first of many sobs was uttered to her embarrassment before the door had shut. Her body began to shake with her cries, and a flood of emotions hurried to overload her system. Hurt. Rejection. Stupidity. All fighting to gain control; as soon as one would seem to have conquered, another pulled back to rear its ugly face. Finally, she gave up. Limbs falling loosely, slightly bouncing on the enlarged mattress, though her tense muscles never fully relaxed, her eyes fixated straight ahead until they drooped into a less than peaceful sleep.

**A/N: Woah, that was hard to write... I had to keep going back and adding more descriptions. I hope you enjoyed it :) I'm not going to ask you if it was worth the wait because, truth be told, it probably wasn't... Anyways, the next chapter will be up soon _I promise. _Oh! And since you all had great patience, I have a surprise for you... A SNEAK PEEK!**

"_Katara, wait. No!" Aang yelled holding his arm up, racing after her._

_Her feet suddenly were immovable, a heavy weight pressing down on them. A glance revealed her shoes and lower calves were completely encased in rock. Dread coursed through her as she could feel him coming closer. Pathetically, she crouched and pulled on her leg, desperate for it to be released, but it would not budge. Closing her eyes she slowly stood up and awaited Aang's arrival. _

**Uh, oh... Also, no one ever does this, but I'd love it if you guys guess at what will happen. It gives me ideas, and creeps me out at how accurately people guess, or just tell me what you want to happen. Who knows? Maybe it will...**

**Reviews are appreciated.**

**-gretlcascade**

**P.S. Btw, in case anyone was wondering, this chapter is over 3,000 words. The longest I've ever written so I hope that helps with the wait...**


	6. Chapter 6

**A/N: Hello again my little friends, thank you to all who read or reviewed. I cracked the 50 review bar :)) Which, for some of you, may not be that much, but for me it is a big deal. This chapter particularly is my favorite so far; you'll see why later ;) So yeah, I haven't updated for half a year, but who hasn't really? Okay well I'll see you, I'm off to get food...**

**Disclaimer: I'm supposed to say something here about not owning something? I don't really remember though so whatever.**

"Cookie," little Raaj smiled while showing Katara a half smashed raisin treat squeezed between parts of his sticky fingers.

Her eyebrows pulled up while she smirked, "Yes Raaj, that's a cookie." She pulled a wet cloth and started to clean the toddler's hands. Volunteering to watch the little prince for the morning had been her idea as an excuse to hang out in the odd ends of the palace today. Though apprehensive at first, she was finding that watching the young child interact with the world around him was fascinating. Only knowing a few words, cookie was by far his favorite.

After he was done, Katara lifted him up and strolled out of the kitchen, smiling at the cooks as she passed.

She enjoyed the feeling of Raaj in her arms; his weight was reassuring to her for some reason and the small fingers running though the end of her braid filed her with content. Entranced by her hair loops as well, the young prince would stare at them and occasionally venture out to poke a styled piece before rocking back with laughter. Katara would proceed to ruffle the small collection of hairs on his head. Raaj, ever perceptive, would reach up and smooth them out.

Stepping out into the garden, Katara found it empty. She followed a short path to a patch of grass surrounding a pond. Raaj's head seemed heavier on her shoulder, so she sought out shade under a nearby tree and sat down. Placing the already sleeping heir next to her, she removed her sandals and laid back on the soft grass. The passing clouds in the sky occupied her interest for a while until she turned on her side to face the sleeping infant.

Peace was written on his face and she closed her eyes, attempting to remember her childhood at the South Pole and if she had ever felt that level of contentment. No answer came to mind as she drifted into her own world.

Ignoring pressing issues that had been brought to his attention in the brief meeting he attended at sunrise, the young man had climbed the volcano where he found a tranquil slab of rock located in the deserted forest. After sitting motionless for a couple of hours and only hearing the sound of his own breath, the Avatar had decided to return to the palace. Barely feeling the soft dirt as he airbended himself down the steep hill, Aang tried to maintain the fragile serenity he attained from his meditation in the morning.

The events of the previous day had done more than shatter the hopes he carried for this reunion; and the stress provided by the uncertainty of an invasion had caused an imposing gloom to overshadow his every thought.

Hearing the sounds of nature had calmed him to a point where he was able to acknowledge that the need for his presence overshadowed the break in his mental health.

Pushing through the trees from the mountainside behind the palace, he felt cool grass under the pads of his feet and started walking through paths in the garden. Nobles and honored guests strolled by momentarily pausing to slightly lower their heads in respect. Pieces of their conversations about table settings and palanquin placement reached Aang's ears.

Heading further into what seemed like a labyrinth of shrubbery and fire lilies, the airbender came upon a more isolated section of the gardens before taking a turn on the path to find a small oval pond reminding him of the scene at the oasis in the North Pole. There was a toddler, his back towards Aang, squatting over the edge and gazing at the swimming koi; one arm already extended the boy reached for a nearby fish before losing balance.

Acting on instinct, Aang whipped his arms up sending a gush of air buffering the child from falling into the water. Surprised from the rescue, the toddler now flat on his back let out a cry; jogging over and picking him up, Aang recognized him as Raaj, Zuko and Mai's son.

Sensing movement behind him, Aang turned around to see Katara pushing herself up from a lying position. Glancing around with a start, she looked to her left before spotting the airbender standing across from her. Settling her frantic eyes on the now quieted crown prince, her body relaxed and she stood walking towards the pair.

"Is he okay? Why are you holding him?" she said in an almost accusatory tone, running a tan hand through Raaj's head to ensure his safety.

"He was just exploring the pond when he almost fell in, but he's fine now, don't worry." Aang replied in a soothing voice. Chancing a look into Katara's eyes he instead saw a wrinkled brow and anxious mouth appear as she took a more in depth analysis of the boy.

Satisfied with her findings, she dropped her eyes to the ground and looking out into the garden on her left before meeting the gaze of the Avatar and muttering softly, "I only closed my eyes. He had already fallen asleep..."

Against his better judgment, Aang placed his free hand on her shoulder to reassure Katara. Stiffening, she soon regained her bearings and faced him straight in the eyes a hardened exterior replacing her brief moment of weakness. "Well, we were just heading back to Mai for his lunch so we should probably go."

It only took a moment for him to respond, "Right, of course, here." He passed Raaj to the waterbender and watched as her face filled with dedication and meticulous care as she told the child they would soon be able to get something to eat. He tried to ignore the clench in his lower stomach muscles as her smooth skin pressed against his.

Nodding her head, she pivoted and was soon off to the nursery whispering silently words of nonsense to the enthralled child.

A sensation of euphoria spread through his system before it was replaced with the same hopeless longing he had felt for the past couple years. Dropping his gaze, Aang returned to his original search for an entrance into the palace.

Katara was next to Suki as she walked down the hallway discussing the fast approaching celebration. According to Suki, there were expected to be around 10,000 visitors arriving at the capital city. The young Kyoshi warrior was exceptionally excited.

They were being led by servants to a centrally located destination in the palace to be fitted for their many outfits commissioned for them to wear during the celebration. Soon they were ushered into a door, filing through a hallway to the dressing room. Mirrors were randomly hung about the room with plush red pillows thrown carelessly, all anchored by a circular bench in the middle.

A terse woman in soft pink robes with her hands clasped approached them and bowed, " Hello, you must be Lady Suki and Miss Katara. I am going to be the one fitting you into your clothes for the celebration. My name is Yung. Please follow me, Fire Lady Mai has already arrived and is trying on her first outfit."

She brusquely led them around the corner, where there was a smaller outlet equipped with full-body mirrors circling round a small-step pedestal.

The fitters had them strip down to their wrappings. Katara, Suki, and Mai watched each other as they sampled their various hued robes. When Suki was slipping on her tighter evening gown, they started to encounter trouble.

"Are you sure these are the exact measurements, Lady Suki?" the helper asked skeptically, "Maybe there was a mistake."

Suki let out an exasperated sigh, crumpling her brow and hunching her back in response, "It should fit, this is the correct size for my Kyoshi uniform."

"Perhaps we should try another dress, there might have been some confusion with the makers." Yung scurried away, the rejected garments in her hands.

Suki started studying her body meticulously, twisting and turning as if to find a more appeasing angle.

"Suki, you know it's just the baby," Katara stated soothingly. Getting up and moving towards her, she she turned and looked at the tense girl in the mirror, placing a hand on her shoulder, "a larger dress will be more comfortable anyways."

Suki's eyes flashed on her face and then back to her offending reflection in the mirror. Brows pinched up with worry, she continued to review the fit.

Feeling obligated Mai added, "When I had my son, I went up two dress sizes." Suki glanced at her at this statement, face flooded with anxiety before Mai hastily added, "But don't worry, you lose it eventually."

Slowly the distraught expression framing Suki's face softened as she thought of the reason for her original anguish. An encompassing warmth rushed through her body, and at this realization her hands hovered over her slightly engorged stomach, fingertips tracing small, invisible patterns.

Suki giggled gracefully with her stomach while muttering to herself, "At least I'm larger for a good reason."

Yung came into the room looking a little less flustered than before and was relieved to see that the young lady was happier, "This selection will look wonderful on you Mrs. Suki. A combination of domestic silks and foreign lacework creates the most handsome arrangement."

Everyone agreed the new dress looked much more flattering on the soon-to-be-mother who now sat pensively to the side admiring the girl in a traditional Southern Water Tribe warrior outfit. Changes had to be made since it usually was meant for males to wear, but craftswomen in the Fire Nation were highly skilled and it adorned Katara with an air of regal elegance.

The garment itself was comprised of furs imported for the occasion and dyed and painted with markings that were reminiscent of high ranking officials in the Water Tribes; however the Southern Water Tribe had less of a social hierarchy than its sister, so it was less decorated than others.

Katara had denied the servants the chance to show off a warrior's hairpiece, choosing instead to use her familiar braid. Although she was not as persistent when it came to her formal dinner attire, so she was persuaded into agreeing to try a new style.

Most of the workers on staff had congregated into the fitting room of the three nobles and upon reaching the high stand, donning the silken robe, Katara felt uneasy. Everyone's eyes were on her and she acquired a foreign sense of self consciousness; her once strong confidence melted as she removed her gaze from the mirror to fixate it on the floor, waiting for scathing remarks.

Squeals erupted and she was proven wrong when one of the servants broke the silence, "You look lovely my Lady."

A smile sneaked its way on Katara's face and Yung continued to fuss over her appearance making sure that she was absolutely perfect. Striking conversation as the observing dressmakers returned to their work, the worker said, "Adjusting all the garments for the ceremony has been too exciting, and I've learned so much about other culture's fabrics. Why just this morning the Fire Lord sent the Avatar to have his robes washed and resized and I couldn't believe the style, very striking. I assume you know of the traditional Air Nomad clothing? I hear you were once close to the Avatar, Miss Katara."

Attempting to only display minimal discomfort she answered, "Um, yes we used to be good friends. The Air Nation style was meant to be free so as to not limit their bending. It was original indeed."

At that moment the stylist had found a fault in the stitching and was focused on remedying the situation. Thankful for the drop in subject, she turned her attention to the mirror and examined herself, all the while feeling Suki's constant glances in her direction.

Foregoing the traditional palanquin in favor of more basic means of transportation, Sokka, Katara, Suki and Toph ventured out into the city on foot with a setting sun behind them. There was an odd sort of transition occurring in the capital; kiosks which had been appearing since the beginning of the week selling items for the festival and more permanent shops were cleaning up and locking their doors to any potential customers while other less reputable businesses were just starting to open and fill with people who were apart of an exclusive list.

Toph led the group to a favorite local tavern which, despite the relatively early hour, was already host to about 50 people, most middle aged men eying much more worldly women who were in a vastly different age group than themselves.

"Hey, Ting!" Toph hollered across the room. A bartender refilling empty glasses of slumped figures at the bar, glanced up eyebrows raised and motioned to the right with his head.

"Come on," she strode confidently across the room and passed into swinging doors leaving the group behind.

Allowing a smirk to play on her lips, Katara followed the earthbender into the darker back area towing the couple; Sokka placing a protective hand on the small of his wife's back, guiding her.

A musky incense filled the room and was visible from the thick cloud of stagnant air which remained pervasive throughout the limited space; Katara headed to the corner booth Toph had already claimed as their own by marking it with several large mugs filled with sake. The inhabitants of this room appeared to be higher ranking citizens and took little notice of the well dressed young warriors being seated next to them.

"Been here before?" Sokka smiled slyly while hesitantly picking up his jug and scoping the room.

Toph took her comfortable feet of the chair next to her and placed them on the floor before responding, but not without first sending a small sneer across the table, "Look boomerang boy, anyone who isn't a rookie knows that in the Fire Nation you need good connections with the local taverns to get some of the good stuff. Otherwise we'd be out front with all the other colorful citizens; they are the real people of this city, not the fluffy, formal stiffs up at the palace or selling souvenirs in the streets."

Sokka shrugged and raised his glass, "To the colorful citizens." Not waiting for the others to respond, he threw back his drink, quickly followed by the hardy earthbender.

Rounds later, everyone at the table had relaxed to a comfortable point. Katara slumped against the smooth wood of the booth and relished the warm heat sliding through her body; she was not completely intoxicated, like Toph and Sokka, however she could sense some of her normal self limitations slipping though she thought that mostly had to do with the stimulating atmosphere.

Toph soon reacquainted with old friends and was involved in a high stakes betting pool across the room and Suki had momentarily excused herself to the washroom, her absence allowing more freedom to flow among the pair.

"You know I don't really like the Fire Nation all that much," Katara slurred too loudly considering the company they were in at the present. Catching her blunder she hastily added focusing on the surrounding politicians who had been bothered enough to turn their heads, "Not because of the people or anything, and I mean yeah you guys tried to kill us on multiple occasions but you were under orders from Ozai and you're good and all now. It's not because it takes forever to get here on boat or airship or flying bison, and it's not the food that burns your insides when you take a taste."

She demonstrated sampling one of the many crispy fireflakes strewn in various baskets across the table, "No," she said finishing, "it's the heat. There is no place you could ever go on this island where you would get cold. It's probably even hot in the ground."

"You know I bet no one has ever frozen to death here," Sokka declared straightening and supporting his weight by splaying his hands on the table, eyes widening as he considered his revelation. "They are just so greedy. They even stole all the heat for themselves. How do you think I feel when I practically sit on a fire during the winter to unfreeze myself!"

Katara sported an unfeminine laugh before scooting up and sharing with her brother a new piece of information, "It all evens out though Sokka because you see because of their paradise weather, they get hooked into hosting these big events bringing in dignitaries who are annoying, not personable, withdrawn, cheating, lying, arrogant, and heartless and pretend like they are just fine having them without some sort of explanation as to why they are there."

Sokka mumbled in response and slowly rested his forehead on the cool surface in front of him.

Katara let out a sigh and turned in time to see the cobalt blue of a tattoo on the arm of a man; she felt lifted until she realized it was not accompanied with similar markings on his other arm or legs. Plummeting her heart took a dive and thought that not even under intoxication could she escape.

Feeling better later that night, Katara walked behind the palace grounds and looked into the sky of pitch.

The moon wasn't visible. The giant white orb in the sky was supposed to be full tonight, Tui was supposed to be the closest to the Earth; instead, the light was covered by the shield of the clouds. All that Katara could see was the fuzzy outline of a bright circle.

A soft breeze caressed her face and her bottom lip started to tremor. A strong depression was on the brink of crushing her heart, the pressure was too strenuous to handle. She had come out here to draw the strength that waterbenders could pull from the full moon, next to the ocean, feeling it's repeating splashes against her rhythmic march along the shoreline. Though she could feel the power provided by the ancient spirits, their abilities seemed infantile when compared to her current emotional state.

Breathing deeply, refilling her lungs with the salty air, she gazed at the scene around her; attempting to distract herself.

This section of the beach was specifically designated for use of the royal palace, and she was thankful for its privacy for she was afraid of intrusion. To her right were the crashing swells comprising the ocean landscape, fine grains of tan colored sand providing the barrier between sea and the garden on her left, filled with scattered shrubs, groupings of flowers, and cherry trees. All the scenery was dimly lit through the midnight light of the moon.

Abruptly, she heard a snapping sound and spun her head around; off in the distance near the trees was a dark silhouette. Katara squinted, her eyes desperate to get a better view. The shadow stepped out and wearily swayed towards her. Soon, she too curiously walked closer to the stranger. When they were about 100 feet away from each other, she could start to make out an orange tint to their clothes, and a perfectly shaped round head...

She stopped dead in her tracks, feeling her heart react yet again. She couldn't handle this, not now and preferably not ever, she wasn't ready yet.

She saw him pause for a moment too until his face lit up with comprehension which he then proceeded to start heading for her at a faster pace.

_Not now, she wasn't ready._

Feet stumbling backwards at first, eventually gaining speed, she turned heading into the trees.

"Katara, wait. Come back!" Aang yelled holding his arm up, racing after her.

Following dirt laden paths she pumped her arms urging her forward, hearing the rustling of branches and leaves as she rushed past until she came to a split in the road.

Nervous panting filled the air as she halted. Which way went back to the palace? The sounds of light landing footfalls weren't too far off. All she had was a split second to decide, but that's all that was needed.

Her feet suddenly were immovable, a heavy weight pressing down on them. A glance revealed her shoes and lower calves were completely encased in rock. Dread coursed through her as she could feel him coming closer. Pathetically, she crouched and pulled on her leg, desperate for it to be released, but it would not budge. Closing her eyes she slowly stood up and awaited Aang's arrival.

"Katara," he said, breathing lightly coming up to her side. A rush of wind tickled her skin, blowing strands of hair into her face , "just wait for a minute okay? I need to talk to you."

"What, so you can tell me you don't want to share the same beach now?" she could tell how ridiculous the words spilling out of her mouth sounded echoing through the night air, but she didn't care enough to stop them. All she wanted was for him to feel the same pain as she had the other night.

"Come on, you know that's not true," Aang answered patiently, slowly shaking his head.

She tilted her head slightly up to glare at him, nails pressing into her palms as her fists tightened at her side, "I obviously can't trust you, just look at what you had to do to get me to listen to you?" She scoffed hands gesturing to address her trapped feet.

The tumult in his eyes softened to despair. Stepping forward to face her closely, his arms bent, tracing the lengths of her sides. "Katara, you have to understand. I didn't leave to hurt you, being the Avatar means I'd have to travel constantly especially with the state of the nations after the war. You had been away from your family for so long and needed to be with them; you had already left your home for me once, I couldn't ask you to give that up again. You needed stability and I couldn't give it to you."

"No," whispering frustratingly her hands laid flat on his chest and, applying pressure, she untangled herself from his embrace forcing him back. "No, you left me and that hurt me more than any of your instability could have," she stated, eyebrows pulling up while pleating together; she was starting to lose her composure.

Katara nodded her head, begging her mildly stinging eyes to remain dry. Her body in its current state surely looked like a mess, hair plastered to her salty cheeks, her throat burned as it swelled but it was nothing compared to the ache in her chest. A hiccup rippled through her body and to her embarrassment, she let out a soft cry. Burying her face in her palms her back shook with subdued sobs.

Suddenly, she was wrapped in a pair of strong arms. Blood surged through her at the contact, leaving a tingling sensation; she collapsed into his figure, grasping at his robes, her head fitting into the crook of his neck. Feeling his embrace and the set hold he had, her demeanor lightened and she reveled in his presence. The scent radiating off of him was causing her head to whirl, the large hands on her back acting as anchors.

Aang pulled back to make eye contact with Katara and she struggled to hold in the protest beckoning in her throat. After effects of rejection once again entered her system though she couldn't bear to bother him with her insignificant insecurities. It was wrong of Katara for making Aang feel obligated to comfort her; she had already caused enough problems as it was.

However after glancing up and seeing the placement of his mouth and fiery determination in his gray eyes, her heart stuttered as a breath hitched in her throat. His eyebrows moved together to frame the orbs. Hot air splayed across her face, coinciding with the rise and fall of his chest; his breathing had increased too.

The expression in his face changed abruptly, as if to alter objectives, jaw muscles clenching. His arms moved to reposition themselves, one running up her back and resting on her shoulder before finishing it's journey to her neck; his arms were staggered now, one placed in the small of her back, the other grasped the outline of her head, fingers twisting in her hair. His thumb grazed her cheek, wiping away the remnant traces of her tears.

Katara closed her eyes and attempted to level her breathing. It took all over her control to keep herself from desperately clutching his hands to prevent their escape.

She could feel the presence of something moving towards her but didn't acknowledge it until she felt a light pressure on her lips. A blush swept over her entire body and her stomach burned, threatening to explode. Closing the little space between them, Aang pulled her into his body, tangling his fingers into her locks; heat emanated from him and she no longer felt the chill from the night air. Where her legs were earlier covered with earth she felt their release and the rush of blood to the lower half of her body; subtly, she stood taller to allow for better leverage. The airbender pressed his lips to hers and robbed her from all the oxygen in her body. Around them, the wind's pace quickened.

Katara felt herself getting out of control and was forced to take a breath; Aang moved to her neck and placed caring, light kisses along her jawbone causing her to let out a soft moan. With lidded eyes, she moved her hands to the sides of his face and recaptured his mouth. Gaining more confidence, she slyly slid her tongue to caress his bottom lip. Jolting away, Aang tore himself from Katara as she felt a shard of glass lance through her heart.

Letting the tears fall this time she gazed up and the man she had trusted with her feelings. Aang's eyes were fixed down and he was focused on taking deliberate breaths; he clenched his fists, a slight smoke arising from both. After a moment, he looked up and what Katara saw sent her off the cliff into deep thread sadness. His cool demeanor was swept over his whole body and she perceived the decided calmness in his stance.

His eyes were glazed into a hardened unreadable look. "I'm sorry Katara. I should go," he turned halfway and paused before adding lowly, "This was probably a mistake." Stalking off without warning, Katara tested her newly freed feet by stumbling a few feet forward in a stupor hands barely outreached, trying to follow.

Watching his retreating figure she thought of how easily he left her. He must not have felt a fraction of what she felt for him, and any chances of her winning him back were now eliminated because of her recklessly forward actions. But hadn't he been the one to initiate the involvement? Or maybe he was just saying goodbye and she pushed too hard once again.

Her head pounded with these questions but mostly it was the result of crying at frequent periods of the day. Turning the other way, she blindly marched to her bedroom to escape from her reality.

**A/N: Woah, that was a long time coming. AH! I feel so free. I had about 2/3 of this story finished when I came home today and I just sat down and thought 'I am going to finish this today'. Willpower, I'll tell ya. Okay, for those who are going to review/want to review but don't know what to say(cause that's so many of you ;)) here are some stimulating questions that I was wondering about when I was finishing writing this:**

**-Are Sokka and Toph in character?**

**-Are the transitions too random and inconsistent to a point where it interferes with the story?**

**Food for thought. Have a wonderful start of summer. Reviews appreciated.**

**-gretlcascade**


	7. Chapter 7

Katara remembered the last time she saw Aang. Officially, he had visited the South Pole to talk to her father about trade routes, but in actuality it was to inform her of concerning news.

_Dai Li copy-cats had been surfacing in various cities of the Earth Kingdom and had used the current state of confusing international affairs to impose anarchy. One of the more radical groups had been making troublesome appearances in Omashu. Aang's friend, King Bumi, had requested his assistance in running a covert mission of destroying their main base instead of attacking the adversaries directly. As a result of the king's precarious position, he wished that Aang would personally head the operation. In order to assure the rebel organization would have no future warning of the Avatar's involvement, it was deemed necessary for him to have a legitimate alibi, which is what led the airbender to the Southern Water Tribe._

_After discussing briefly with Hakoda, Aang was invited into the chief's home for a dinner of whale hide and sea-prunes sweeted with seal blubber before leaving for Omashu the following morning. The tribe was going to testify that the Avatar was conducting an extended trip in order to help with much needed repairs. _

_Over his past few trips, Aang had acquired a taste for the salty delicacy made by Kanna, mainly as a result of the limited diet offered to vegetarians in the South Pole. The dinner was more than amiable as the individual personalities entertained each other. As the night died down, Kanna excused herself to go to rest for the night; she was shortly followed by Hakoda and then later by Sokka, leaving Katara and Aang to a familiar silence._

"_Let's go outside," Katara said with a kind smile. Aang reciprocated half-heartedly and followed her out of the door. It was the mild season in the South Pole, so it wearing multiple layers of clothing to brave the outdoor weather wasn't necessary. Light wind and ever-present muted sunlight, allowed them to venture out comfortably; however the air on that night was uncharacteristically still and the sun was unseasonably absent._

_The crunching of snow under their boots accompanied their conversation. The serenity of their surroundings and the calm tones in their voices allowed for an intimate feel to their conversation._

_Novelty information was passed between them. Aang jubilantly exclaimed his explorations of the Eastern Air Temple; lacking a personal attachment to the other temples, he was able to speak somewhat freely of his findings, although Katara noticed the shine in his gray eyes grow dim. The waterbender described the discovery of a young boy waterbender, only two years of age, who had fallen into a pool of water and manipulated a wave to push him safely to a ledge. Aang listened intently to all of her story. His attentiveness was a trait that she cherished._

_As they finished walking around the edge of town, Katara felt anxious about losing his presence, "When are you leaving?" She asked._

"_Early tomorrow morning, if Appa feels up to it." Aang responded, glancing down._

_Her heart faltered, "That soon? Aang, you should really stay and catch get some rest. You have been traveling for four days, just to turn right back around after one night?"_

"_Bumi is expecting us in the next few days, it's important that I am on time. My delayed arrival could mean potential failure," his voice softened, "Katara, I want to stay longer, but I can't."_

_The resolve set in his face showed that there was no room for negotiation, so Katara accepted defeat. "I'll see you tomorrow morning – "_

"_Actually, Appa and I will be leaving before sunrise to avoid the fanfare," Aang motioned towards the center of town where on more than one occasion the villagers had arranged ceremonies in his honor._

_Katara fixated her gaze on the ground avoiding the piercing look she felt upon her face, "So this is goodbye."_

_Aang nodded his head solemnly._

_He pulled her into a soft embrace before landing a light peck on her cheek. The whisper of his lips caused her face to flush. "Just for now." Looking up at his face, she noticed a guarded expression; she expected him to be nervous about the radicals. Katara gave a reassuring smile in response before parting from his arms._

"_Goodbye, Katara." Aang turned towards the hallway and departed to his room as Katara watched him walk away._

Two months later she received an official message from the eccentric thing, the sealed document only described random subjects such as his pet and the weather and the different flavors of gemenite. Sokka figured this to be in a form of code and took several weeks analyzing it before deciding that Aang and his officers were fine, but it was unsafe to send personal letters at that time. However, the mission was due to be over in the next coming weeks. Elation filled Katara, but as the months passed her views on the situation turned sour, thinking of the most obscure explanations. Her anguish would not have been too bad if she had thought that Aang was still in the mission, her father however informed her that the avatar had been making diplomatic appearances at the other nations and was attending social events quite frequently.

The last time she heard from Aang was roughly a year after his departure for Omashu, he had written in a short letter the reasons for his neglect. Explanations of foreign obligations and civic duties washed over her like water through cloth as she began to see the real cause of his absence. His affections for her must have been forgotten.

Although Aang had requested a response his message, she never returned with a reply. Katara held onto the letter though, and kept it in the pocket of her traveling bag and intended to confront the avatar about it… If she could ever find the strength.

Standing below the luminescent moon, Katara reread the lines of characters on the crumpled piece of paper.

_As a monk, it is difficult to go back on my promise, but I feel that for your benefit that is the thing I must do. I was dishonest the last time I was with you, Katara, and it is for that reason that I write to you now. _

_ Goodbye forever,_

_ Aang_

**A/N: Whew! You know I knew that this story needed updating, but I hadn't realized it had been a year! This chapter is dedicated to my last reviewer (whoever that was) who sent me a message telling me to update. This chapter in fact, was never intended to be included. I just wrote this today and thought to add it in. I have parts of the next two chapters already written, so expect another update within the next few weeks. Happy summer! Are you excited? I know I am.**

**Chapter Question:**

**Does this chapter fit well with the rest of the story? Does it flow differently? Is it too out-of-the-blue? Is the writing altered in any way?**

**-gretlcascade**


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